It's been a busy day at the market in downtown Volos. Angeliki Ioanitou has sold a decent quantity of olive oil and soap, while her friend Maria has done good business with her fresh pies.

But not a single euro has changed hands – none of the customers on this drizzly Saturday morning has bothered carrying money at all. For many, browsing through the racks of second-hand clothes, electrical appliances and homemade jams, the need to survive means money has been usurped.

"It's all about exchange and solidarity, helping one another out in these very hard times," enthused Ioanitou, her hair tucked under a floppy felt cap. "You could say a lot of us have dreams of a utopia without the euro."

We wondered if there was enough interest in the Crete ex-pat or even local community to set up such a system. The team has the ability to set this kind of system up on the internet in one of two ways

a system similar to the one used by the Syllagos (charity) in Ierapetra where there is in effect a single bank that handles all transactons and your 'balance' is also managed centrally

a system where the transactions are completed between individuals and amounts/services owed/paid are handled on an individual to individual basis

Let us know what you think and if you would be prepared to help us organise such a system in your area by dropping us a line